1. Field
The present invention generally relates to wireless communications networks, wireless communication devices participating in such networks, and the operation of the foregoing equipment. More particularly, the invention concerns a new technique for base stations to transmit call/broadcast paging messages to wireless communications devices, and a consequently more efficient technique for such devices to receive call/broadcast paging messages.
2. Background
Mobile phone designers are faced with a variety of different engineering challenges. One of the most perplexing problems is the necessity of using batteries to power the phone's transceiver, speaker, microphone, display, and other electronics. A battery can only provide a finite amount of power until exhaustion, at which time the phone ceases to work. Of course, most mobile phone batteries are rechargeable, but this requires access to a power source.
Mindful of this vulnerability, mobile phone designers have engineered their products with various low power states. In the absence of any outgoing or incoming calls, or during extended periods of inactivity in a data call, a mobile phone is typically in an “idle” state. At times, some phone models enter a “sleep” state where the phone selectively disables circuitry such as its transceiver, central processor, and certain other hardware. At this point, the phone consumes hardly any current. At periodic intervals that are preset by the network, the phone briefly awakens, chiefly to receive call paging messages (if any) from base stations alerting the phone to incoming calls, and additionally for other reasons such as searching for pilot signals of nearby base stations, etc. When the mobile phone cannot achieve communications with any base stations for some period of time, the phone enters a “deep sleep” state, during which the phone seeks service at very infrequent intervals and meanwhile powers-down to an even greater extent.
The foregoing operational states contribute significantly to conserving battery power. And, in some respects, this state of the art is completely satisfactory. Nonetheless, engineers at Qualcomm Corporation (“QUALCOMM”) are continually seeking to new ways to reduce the power consumption of mobile phones. QUALCOMM engineers are also concerned with incorporating new mobile phone features without sacrificing previous achievements toward reducing mobile phone power consumption. In this respect, one area of possible focus concerns the proposed future network delivery of broadcast content to mobile phones. Those in the industry expect that actual delivery of broadcast programs to mobile phones will be preceded by broadcast paging messages, advising mobile phone users that the broadcast programs have become available.
Accordingly, in order to receive this added paging message, dormant mobile phones will have to extend their existing wakeup sequences, or worse, engage in an additional wakeup sequence. In either case, mobile phones will have to consume additional power in order to receive the added broadcast paging message. As explained above, engineers typically seek to minimize mobile phone power consumption. Therefore, certain problems are presented by the future need for mobile phones to additionally receive broadcast paging messages, in addition to the existing call paging messages.